A/N: I got this idea from a nightmare I had a few months ago. After thinking about it for a while, I desided to write it into a fic. It's alittle long.
It's just another dull day in Skyland. At least that's what Mahad thinks. While Cortes is scouting the regions, Mahad is leaned back in the Hyperion hoping for action.
"Captain, water has been detected in the Under Archipelago," Wayan announces over the radio. He reloads the Mosquito into its hatch.
"Proceed with caution," Cortes replies. "I'm sure we still remember what happened last time."
Mahad leans over and looks out the window as the Saint Nazaire descends below the clouds. The Hyperion follows. Mahad looks out at the landscapes. Over a few of the blocks are the remains of patrollers and damaged houses. His mind is quickly turned away to keep track of the falling altitude.
Finally, they land on a block with a building covering most of its layout. The rebels gather their weapons and walk aboard the block. Cortes opens the door only to have it detach and shatter on the ground.
"This place has been closed down for awhile," Cortes said behind coughing. He waves the rising dust from his face. "But that's not an excuse to let your guard down."
"Typical," Mahad yawns. He wanders into the open room. "It's to dark in here… and where'd Wayan go?"
Mahad turns around when he feels a tap on his shoulder. Wayan turns on a flashlight and beams it up to his face, laughing. Mahad jumps and runs back to the laughing pirates.
"We'll split up," Cortes says. He hands out flashlights to everyone. "If you find water or trouble, contact me."
They part from each other. Dahlia scouts outside of the building. Wayan takes the right corridor. Cortes heads for the corridor in the middle and Mahad and Lena proceed to the left corridor.
About five minutes pass and nothing has been reported. Mahad and Lena are scouting the hallway doors and announcing the contents. All they found is old desks, cabinets, chairs, a skeleton or two, fallen chandeliers, busted radios, paper clumped around the rooms, shattered glass, rusty guns, broken swords, scattered computer equipment, and rats.
Mahad opens a door and aims his flashlight inside. "A Brigadier," he said. He closes the door. He pauses. The door is thrown open to double check. "A BRIGADIER!" Mahad drops the flashlight and pelts as hard as he can down the dark unidentified corridor.
"Mahad," Lena shouts, examining the robot before chasing after her spooked brother. "Mahad, the Brig is dead! Come back!"
The corridor opens to a room. Lena beams her light around the dark room. Finally, she hears a large splash followed by cries for help. She aims the light toward the source. Mahad has fallen into a flood of water! And neither of them can swim!
"Don't panic, Mahad," Lena yells, in panic herself. She sprints back and forth along the water edge. Finally, at the top of her lungs, she screams.
The blood curdling scream echoes through the building. Instantly, without hesitation, Cortes, Wayan, and Dahlia race down the corridor leaving their imaginations to think about what they might find.
"What's wrong, Lena!?" Cortes asks, holding her by the shoulders to calm her down.
"Mahad is drowning," she staggers to say.
Cortes aims his flashlight out to the water to reveal Mahad whom is struggling to keep his head above the water. Wayan runs forward and dives in after. He swims as fast as he can when Mahad disappears. Wayan dives under, but his flashlight dies forcing him to surface.
"I lost him," He announces after two more tries. Suddenly, a small lamp lands in the water in front of him, followed by the dive of a tall skinny human.
Soon after, the man lifts the water logged Mahad out of the water. He grabs his still lit lamp and help Wayan swim to the worried rebels with Mahad.
Cortes pulls Mahad out of the water and checks him. "He'll need CPR," he says. They looked up at Dahlia.
Dahlia rolls her eyes and kneels next the Mahad. She applies pressure to Mahad's chest, closes his nose, and presses her lips to his.
"Ahhg," Dahlia jumps. "He put his tongue in my mouth!"
The pirates stare at Mahad who is on his hand and knees, coughing, and laughing up the water.
"Looks like he made a full recovery," says the white-haired man.
After hugging her soaked brother, Lena shines her flash light to the stranger's face. Her eyes widen. "Al… Alse?"
"After a month, you still remember me," he said with a smile. Sure enough, it was Alse. Not much has changed about him. But with his pail skin, it shows weakness to light. He winces. "Would you lower your flash light, please?"
"How is it that you're still alive," asked Cortes reaching for his gun.
Alse pulls his head back and glares. Something wasn't right. They fell silent. It wasn't long when the silence was broken when a hum started to approach the block.
"Cortes," Cheng says over the radio. "Cortes, a Sphere ship has just approached on the other side of the block."
Cortes clutched his fist, stood up, and struck Alse in the face. He didn't hit the floor, nor lost his balance. His head merely tilted.
"You sent a signal to the Sphere, didn't you," Cortes demanded, clutching Alse by his turtle neck collar. He's quickly pulled away by Wayan and Lena. Alse, scared, runs out of the room and down the corridor.
"Now was not the time," Wayan says.
"You're right," Cortes sighed. "But now we need to get out of here. Where'd he go?"
Just when he asked that question, they hear a yell of horror down the hall. It was Alse. They ran after him, knowing they would most likely run into the Sphere.
Lena was the first to enter the room and sees Alse tumbled backwards on the ground. She goes to help him up, only the freeze when she senses another presence. She slowly looks up.
The rebels darted in, only to stand frozen at the door way. Standing about fifteen feet tall, with its mouth open, drooling, lightly growling, and hungry looking was a black monster. A demon, if you will. It was thin and tall. It had a narrow nose and glowing yellow eyes. From the narrow of its eyes, two antenna-like horns came from its head. At the ends were claws that rested by the wrist on the shoulders. It had normal claws connected to the shoulders. They were long and powerful looking and were drooped downward. The spine of the demon was slumped so it could fit in the room. Following the spine line was a long and powerful tail. And finally, it perched on its' long legs. This showed speed.
They remained quiet at the presence of the monster. Their hearts were racing. Slowly, Lena and Alse crept backwards from the demon. They were holding their breath as they did so. It lowered one of its normal claws until it pressed against the ground. Lena and Alse paused. So did the demon.
It was unbearable for his mentally weak heart. Alse shoved Lena off of him and darted out the room. Knowing it's too late to change a thing, the pirate's followed. It had an instant reaction. The demon lunged out the door using its legs like springs. Crashing into the walls and tearing up the ceiling, the demon chases the pirates through the building, gaining on them fast.
They were scared. A Sphere ship has landed somewhere out side and there's a demon inside chasing them. Without knowing it, they had split up. All six of them were running alone.
Alse was still running. He was crying and flailing against the walls. His legs become weak and he staggers down the hallway. Alse opens his eyes when he realizes that there's no one around. From the distance, he can hear the demon's claws hit the floor. He takes off once more. Alse limps around a corner only to find himself running into something.
"Sorry," He murmured. He realizes that it is a human he ran into. Alse jumped back to see another monster standing before him. His original: Oslo.